Ethnoecology collection

Ethnoecology, a branch of human science, links ethnology and natural history. It studies uses of the resources of the environment, makes inventories of living species known, classified and used by human societies, knowledge about the ecology of these species, as well as oral literature or mythology.

Presentation

The principle behind the ethnoecology collection consists of drawing a link between a zoological or a botanical species and a cultural object: the species used to manufacture a tool, and the species that a tool is meant to obtain.
 
The collection, which Raymond Pujol started by in the 1960s in the former laboratory for ethnobotany and ethnozoology, includes nowadays more than 5000 objects; it increases regularly with field studies. This collection is made up “research material”. The geographic areas are: America 36 %, Africa 26 %, Asia 23 %, Europe 15 %. Some regions are particularly represented, such as rainforest from Central Africa, Mexico, South America (Colombia, Peru, Brazil), East Asia (Japan, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia).
 
Ethnoecology collection as well as material is organized in categories and classes of objects: techniques of making (materials, basketry, feathers),acquisition (fishing, hunting, gathering), production (husbandry, agriculture), consumption (food and food ways, cooking), wellbeing (cosmetics, hygiene, ornaments, clothing), social life (leisure, games, music instruments) and religious phenomenon (religion and festivals). Of particular richness are objects associated with agriculture, fishing, insects (including more than 50 traditional beehives), basketry (more than 200) and music instruments (some 100). We collect also transformed food, vegetal and animal (including edible insects).

Activities

Vocation of these collections are scientific, pedagogic and museographic. E.g. many objects are permanently exposed in the “Galerie de l’Homme”. Collections are placed at disposal for academics and students all over the world, whether they are studying a particular cultural area, or a technical sector, for a comparative approach. Studies and thoughts on this collection concern, in particular, classifications of techniques (anthropology of technology). Technical documents as well as thematical catalogues are produced. Because this collection gathers objects with a diversity of forms, material and manual skills, it could be of interest for creators, designers or artistic crafts. Objects are regularly lent for exhibitions. They are used for teaching concerning technology and activities towards natural environment.
 
These collections are presently in the process of cataloging and digitization, in order to facilitate access and consultation.

Contacts

  • Serge Bahuchet, Professor of Ethnobiology : serge.bahuchet [@] mnhn.fr
  • Nicolas Césard, Senior Lecturer in Ethnoentomology : nicolas.cesard [@] mnhn.fr

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